VIRUDHUNAGAR: The people from Arundhathiyar Community residing in Kooraikundu are unable to give a proper send off to their dear ones as the crematoria in the village does not have a roof, as when it rains the process is not only interrupted, but the ashes get washed away. Around 60 families with more than 150 people from the community reside in the village. The dead bodies are burnt in the open cremation ground.
According to L Manikandan (24), a resident of Kooraikundu village, the situation gets worse during monsoon, "Recently, the sudden rain in the middle of a cremation caused difficulties to go ahead with the process. It is difficult to collect the ashes of deceased when it gets washed away in rainwater."
P Lingam (50) said that they have been facing troubles during cremation for more than five generations. "Two years ago, when one of my relatives died, we set up a panthal (temporary shed) to cremate her body," he said.
An elected representative from the local body, on condition of anonymity, said that no measures have been taken despite bringing the issue to the notice of officials. "Around 30 cents of land is used by the people from the Arundhathiyar community for cremation," they said. N Umashankar, AD panchayat,Virudhunagar, said that the issue will be looked into and steps to cover the crematoria would be taken up very soon.